Hydrostatic bearing support of strip

Abstract

A frictionless strip support for supporting a metallic strip conveyed along a feed path in a treatment process. The support including at least one hydrostatic chute including a plurality of confined hydrostatic chambers having apertures therein for a supply of a pressurized treatment liquid such as molten metal, and at least one pair of hydrostatic guides positioned downstream of the hydrostatic chute. Each hydrostatic guide has a confined hydrostatic chamber with apertures therein for supply of a pressurized treatment liquid such as liquid metal. The frictionless support also includes a pump of supplying the pressurized treatment liquid through the apertures and to the confined chambers such that the treatment fluid maintains the strip spaced from the hydrostatic chute and the hydrostatic guides by hydrostatic force of the pressurized liquid normal to the strip surface as the strip is conveyed across the hydrostatic chute and the hydrostatic guides. In metal coating processes, such as zinc coating, the hydrostatic guides are placed at the surface of the zinc bath to create an upwardly flow of dross-free molten zinc on both sides of the exiting strip material whereby surface quality is improved independent of strip speed.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A strip treating apparatus for supporting a strip conveyed along a feed path and for contacting both face surfaces of the strip with treatment liquid comprising: (a) at least one hydrostatic chute having a surface along which the strip is drawn thereby establishing said feed path, said surface having a plurality of chambers confined therein, said chambers enclosed by ridges raised outwardly from said surface over the longitudinal length and transverse width thereof and said chambers having apertures therein for supply of a pressurized treatment liquid into each chamber;   (b) a container for holding a bath of said treatment liquid arranged so that said at least one hydrostatic chute is submerged below the surface of the bath; and   (c) means for supplying said pressurized treatment liquid to said apertures and said chambers such that said treatment liquid is flowably restrained within said chambers to maintain said strip spaced from said at least one hydrostatic chute by a hydrostatic force of said pressurized liquid acting upon the strip face surface as the strip is conveyed across said at least one hydrostatic chute.   
     
     
       2. The strip treating apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said at least one hydrostatic chute is curved and said treatment liquid is molten metal. 
     
     
       3. The strip treating apparatus of claim 2 wherein the treatment liquid is one selected from the group consisting of zinc and aluminum. 
     
     
       4. The strip treating apparatus as set forth in claim 2 further comprising a pair of hydrostatic guides positioned adjacent the upper surface of the molten metal bath, said hydrostatic guides adapted to be placed on opposed sides of the strip to direct a flow of molten metal to said upper surface of said molten metal bath to generate and maintain a dross-free zone around said strip as the strip exits molten metal bath. 
     
     
       5. The strip treating apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said means for supplying pressurized molten metal to said at least one hydrostatic chute and guides is a device selected from the group consisting of a liquid metal pump and a pressure vessel. 
     
     
       6. The strip treating apparatus as set forth in claim 2 further comprising a pot for containment of said molten metal in a location spaced from said at least one hydrostatic chute. 
     
     
       7. The strip treating apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said at least one hydrostatic chute is enclosed in a container or a shape to closely contain the strip material. 
     
     
       8. The strip treating apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said enclosed container is mounted for travel on a wheel platform. 
     
     
       9. The strip treating apparatus of claim 1 wherein the treatment liquid is a chemical solution for chemically treating the strip. 
     
     
       10. The strip treating apparatus of claim 9 wherein the strip is steel and the chemical solution is a pickling solution.